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A Change Nobody seems to have noticed

I recall the board screaming the last few years about the Steelers inability to close out games and prevent opponents from scoring at will late in games.
The Steelers rank #3 in the league in fewest opponent points in the 4th qtr (AZ, DEN...go figure).
I would say LeBeau has done a remarkable job with this defense in adjusting for life without Troy. And maybe it will extend Troy's life a bit by showing he doesn't need to be superman in every game.

Here's a brain scratcher..... is LeBeau's defense performing more disciplined, more reliable football WITHOUT Troy?

Chadman, I think you are correct. Not knowing exactly where Troy was going to play on any given play had to put a lot of pressure on Clark and company. Time for Troy to settle down a little and cut down on the Tasmian devil play (unless of course the Steelers are in desperation for a splash play).

I'll add another head scratcher; how does this team defeat the likes of offenses like the Giants and Washington, and then lay eggs against Raiders and Titans and Browns?

Chadman, I think you are correct. Not knowing exactly where Troy was going to play on any given play had to put a lot of pressure on Clark and company. Time for Troy to settle down a little and cut down on the Tasmian devil play (unless of course the Steelers are in desperation for a splash play).

I'll add another head scratcher; how does this team defeat the likes of offenses like the Giants and Washington, and then lay eggs against Raiders and Titans and Browns?

Some of it is the team not being focused enough for weaker team; they would never speak it out loud but in their subconscious you know they had to be thinking all they had to do was show up in the black and gold and collect their win. How many times have we seen them play down to their competition?

Also, some has to do with them feeling like their back is a against the wall, vs. not. Look at the Giants. They are extreme with how the do this. Both their last Super Bowl wins, they only made it into the post season in week 17. They can beat anyone when they feel they need to, and lose to anyone when they don't. I think the Steelers have some of that same thing in them, although they will tell you every opponent is super tough and can't be overlooked and every game counts a lot.

Here's a brain scratcher..... is LeBeau's defense performing more disciplined, more reliable football WITHOUT Troy?

I thought this a well back also Chadman. I love seeing Troy jump over the line sacking the QB's and making fabulous interceptions and what Troy can do but, I often wondered how with the regular play/defense did the other players know whom or what to defend if Troy is doing his independent thing.

I read somewhere, I can't recall right now but I'll look for it, that LeBeau often incorporates a freelancer into his defensive schemes...10 guys will have specific assignments while one guy will kind of do his own thing...that freelancer needs to know what the other 10 guys are supposed to do...this is why you will see Polamalu dive over the top of the pile on certain plays or try to anticipate snap counts...he is just supposed to follow his instincts while not duplicating efforts...

I read somewhere, I can't recall right now but I'll look for it, that LeBeau often incorporates a freelancer into his defensive schemes...10 guys will have specific assignments while one guy will kind of do his own thing...that freelancer needs to know what the other 10 guys are supposed to do...this is why you will see Polamalu dive over the top of the pile on certain plays or try to anticipate snap counts...he is just supposed to follow his instincts while not duplicating efforts...

Chadman, I think you are correct. Not knowing exactly where Troy was going to play on any given play had to put a lot of pressure on Clark and company. Time for Troy to settle down a little and cut down on the Tasmian devil play (unless of course the Steelers are in desperation for a splash play).

I'll add another head scratcher; how does this team defeat the likes of offenses like the Giants and Washington, and then lay eggs against Raiders and Titans and Browns?

As to your added head scratcher ... The defense was playing lousy early in the year (Raiders and Titans games) but then they put Will Allen in the starting lineup, some guys got healtier (Harrison, Keisel, Hampton) and they began to play great defense. Even the Browns game they played great but if you give a team 7 turnovers, most in your own territory, the other team is going to score.

I think some LeBeau doubters are eating crow big time but that is just my opinion.

No, they'll still whine about the amount of time it takes to get rookies on the field. The fact is, though, that these young guys are able to be successful once they finally do get on the field because they have the defense down and are able to just play instead of thinking out there. If you threw a guy like Jason Worilds or Cortez Allen into the fire full time as a rookie, their heads would have been spinning (regardless of whether we were running a 3-4, a 4-3, nickel, dime, or whatever), and that can cause a young guy to lose his confidence (and once that mojo is gone, it is exceedingly hard to get back). LeBeau puts them out when they are ready. Not only is it the best thing for the defense, but is the best thing for those young guys in the long run.